i believe that for the bridge people and the team in the engine room, that english is the international language for those groups. >> mr. hoyt, captain hoyt, i was very impressed with your expertise and your training and, you know, you could be my captain any time. however, that training and expertise, i don't know how you deal with commerce since, because it seems like this particular captain lacked common sense. that's something my grandma had and she didn't go to college. what happened didn't happen again. why was this captain allowed to change the preprograming allowed by the company? i know you need some flexibility, but i'm just curious. >> well, within our company, there is a process by which a

passage plan is developed. it is then confirmed by other members of the bridge team. and then it is implemented after a full brief of the navigation staff prior to departure. any deviation from that that would be necessary for reasons of safety would -- would engender a new passage plan or an immediate deviation if necessary, which would then be discussed with the bridge team as a whole. we utilize a navigator/co-navigator system on the bridge of our ships. and that's how that system works for us. and that's what keeps a check and balance in the mix. >> mr. wright, can you answer that also? >> very similar. the course is plotted by the team. you're required to have a voyage

passage plan from berth to berth. and that is plotted on either an electronic chart or a paper chart or whatever system the ship is using. and that's all discussed ahead of time a day or two or three with the bridge team and the captain. agreed, signed off by the captain, and any deviation that would be for avoiding another ship, weather, or some other type of situation. if there was a reason to deviate, then the team would regroup, decide what to do, prove it, again, double-check it, just like captain hoyt. and that's your passage plan. >> with the railroads, if a car goes off a certain track, then the home office is notified. is that true with the cruise?

because this particular captain, this is not the first time that he went -- deviated from the pattern that he is supposed to. >> the ship is the best to lay down the track for their voyage from berth to berth, because they're there. they are extremely familiar with the currents, the weather conditions, and the traffic patterns. so they set the chart. now in an electronic system, if you deviate from that track, the bridge of a ship would get an alarm, and they would react to that. for example, if the ship is being set off course. but the office does not get notified of every deviation. the ships are the best ones to do that. >> so the captain is so important, that we have the right captain on the ship?

>> it's important to have the right bridge team. >> the whole team? >> the whole team. so we have experience with the center for maritime training, simulator for maritime training where we will make sure we get all of our bridge officers, particularly all the senior officers that are in charge of a watch through simulator training time, and also the academic side where they're taught about the human element, they're taught about incident that have happened within our own companies within the carnival corporation. and then they run practices to make sure that doesn't happen in the simulator to make sure it doesn't happen on the ship. >> thank you very much. i yield back the balance of my time. we will all learn from this experience, i know. thank you. >> ms. -- >> thank you, mr. chairman and thank our witnesses for being here today. i would officially like to thank captain hoyt who is taking time away from sailing the world on

your sailboat, and from captaining the "pride of america" from hawaii to be here in d.c. with us. the cruise industry is geeing in hawaii, and that's a good thing. last time over 125,000 people travelled to hawaii via cruise ships and spent $32 million, a 52% increase over 2010. for most people, a cruise to hawaii or the caribbean or other destinations is an important component of our travel and tourism industry, which is responsible for millions of jobs nationwide. unfortunately, the costa concordia and other incidents remind us that tragedy can strike at any time. i recognize that there is an ongoing investigation into this incident, and i recognize also, and that's why you're all here, that the industry is taking steps to ensure the safety of everyone aboard their vessels. however, i would like to focus my questions on matters of existing maritime law, some of which have been on the books for over 100 years.

i think we owe to it the victims of these tragedies and their families to have a candid discussion about whether these laws still work and whether we should revisit and update them. so one of these laws is the death on the high seas act, over 90 years old. under this law, cruise passengers are only entitled to their economic damages. so that means that retirees, children, stay-at-home spouses and low income workers, in other words, people who have little or no economic value under the law, they are only entitled to the cost of their funerals or coffins. and i would like to ask all of the panel members to just briefly respond to this question. do you think it is equitable to deny maritime victims who die aboard your ships as a result of negligence the same protections that are afforded to those who die on land or in a commercial

aviation accident on the high seas? could you briefly give me your response, analysts? start from my left. so the death on the high seas act i would say is a very complex piece of legislation. i'm not an attorney and not in a position to be able to comment here on the specific provisions or measures of dosha at this time. what i can say is the cruise industry will certainly work with congress to look at any specific piece of legislation that addresses the interest of our passengers and the concerns that you have expressed, just as we have done with the cruise vessel security and safety act. >> congressman, i'm a marine operations guy. and i really just wouldn't be appropriate for me to comment on this.

>> i'm afraid i too am not that familiar with the act. and it's outside of the scope of what it is i do on the ships. >> well, maybe we need another hearing, but be that as it may, though, suffice to say that people who do not have -- who do not have jobs, who are retired, children, under this law they are pretty much headed off at the pass in terms of any kind of recovery. and this 100-year law i believe definitely needs to be revisited. i'm sure if you had your child, your parents, your retired parents on a ship -- [ applause ] -- and where they suffered death or injury, i'm sure you would want them to be fairly compensated. so my -- that pretty much -- you know, mr. chairman, i would like to enter into the record under

unanimous consent a february 21st reuters article that talks about the various kinds of laws that are currently on the books that need to be revisited with regard to liability and compensation for those who are injured on the high seas, death or injury on the high seas, mr. chairman. >> without objection, so ordered. >> i'd also like to note for the record the testimony of dennis young, which was placed into the record i believe by my colleague larsen that really focuses on making sure that there are hiring very qualified and trained longshore workers to perform the kind of handling of operations and loading and unloading operations, that they are particularly trained for since this entire hearing is about safety. i'd also like to note, mr. chairman, that while our testifiers unfortunately are not able to respond to the specific sets of questions that i have,

suffice to say also that the cruise industry does have major protections that limit recovery. they are able to put into their contracts things that are called forum clauses that the u.s. supreme court has said are okay. and this has led to the cruise industry placing all kinds of other limitations on who people can sue, where they can sue, how much recovery, what they are entitled to recover. and that is very unlike many other industries where the larger panoply of remedies are available to them. thank you for allowing me to ask my questions. i yield back. >> mr. cummings? >> thank you very much. mr. chairman. mr. schoeneman, how many siu

members work in the cruise industry? >> i believe right now it's approximately 2,000 and 3,000. i believe about 2,000 to 3,000. i have to check that number for you, mr. cummings. >> would you get that for me? >> sure. not a problem. >> clearly, ms. duffy, we learned something from this, did we not? >> yes, sir, we have. >> and what did we learn from this incident? let me ask you why i'm asking. this is not a setup question. clear to its credit decided that beginning on february 9th that they were going to have this mandatory muster drills. and so that tells me we learned something that caused clia to

act so fast. and i'm just wondering what did we learn? and how was that decision made? >> i think what we learned as part of the incident was that the muster policy, while the regulation allowed for that to be conducted within 24 hours, that we would better serve our passengers and safety by conducting the muster prior to departing the port so that people immediately have the safety information and know where to go and what to do in the event of an emergency. >> and i'm asking this of all the representatives of the cruise lines. do you believe that the experiences that we heard about from the couple an hour or so ago could occur on a vessel that serves the united states waters? could that have happened?

>> i don't believe that now that all of the muster drills are being conducted immediately at departure -- prior to the departure. i think that people would have received the muster and known what to do with better direction. >> part of the testimony, too, though was that the crew didn't seem to have a clue as to what was going on. and that's -- you know, if you really think about it, if you're going to -- you know, when you get on a plane, they tell you that the, you know, how to deal with the mask and seat belts and all that. but the implication is that the airline folk, the staff knows what to do.

and that situation on the hudson a few years ago where they were able to land the plane miraculously, and everybody got off in the water said -- they said a lot of that was due to staff being prepared to do what they had to do. and if they had not been prepared, those people would be dead. so i'm just trying to figure out what about that part of it, the training piece? you heard their complaints about the training -- not the training, but nobody seemed to though what was going on. >> unfortunately, it would be inappropriate for me to speculate on what happened specifically with the crew or the training on -- related to the concordia incident. >> well, let's talk about your -- you talk about yours. >> i can say that all seafarers

are trained in accordance with the international maritime organization standards that are outlined in the stcw, which is the international convention on standards of training, certification, and watch-keeping for seafarers. and that every officer for both navigation and engineering holds certificates of competency. all of the seafarers on the deck and the engines also hold certificates of proficiency. and as captain hoyt described, there is ongoing and regular safety drills and training that crew is provided. >> and anybody else? >> mr. cummings, i would say i feel fairly confident in saying if this had happened on awes flag vessel, the outcome would have been a little different. >> a little louder? >> if this happen and awes vessel, the outcome would have been different. >> how so? >> i believe our members are trained. they're able to communicate

effectively amongst themselves and with the passenger and we would have been able to get the folks off the ship with a minimal loss of life. >> i see. anybody else? >> mr. cummings, i would also like to add that in terms of safety, there is never any room for complacency. this is something that we need to always be evaluating and reevaluating over the process. i would like to add that having commanded ships both in the international and the u.s. flag that i would stand by the crews that i have had under both flags in norwegian and their abilities to respond in an emergency. >> so going back to you, ms. duffy. just one last thing. just one last thing. ms. duffy, you have a c-span audience here. what would you say to them, somebody, you got people now, they don't have a lot of money. they're trying to eek out a

little vacation. they're probably planning right now for when the kids get out of school. what would you say to them about the cruise industry in light of all that we have heard? this is your moment. >> as i said, on behalf of the industry, that the concordia incident is a terrible tragedy, and the cruise industry does extend our condolences to everybody that was affected. i hope that you can see the industry has been very proactive and transparent in immediately calling for the operational safety review, and that we have already begun to proceed with policies that have been implemented already. the cruise industry remains one of the very safest recreational activities and travel options. if you look at the safety record of the industry over the past decade prior to this incident, and i think we heard from vice admiral salerno this morning,

who also spoke to the strong safety record of the industry, the level of training, experience, investment in technology, and innovation that has happened over the last decade as we've seen the cruise industry grow globally i think stands as testimony to the safety, the commitment of our members to safety as our top priority. otherwise, we wouldn't have a successful business. not only is it the right thing to do, but we continuously focus on ways that we can improve the record that we have. >> thank you very much. >> thank you, mr. cummings. without any further questions, i want to thank the current panel and the previous panels very much as i think everyone can tell, this will be an ongoing situation for the subcommittee. we'll have a lot of questions

that we need answered to see where we go from here. but appreciate your involvement. the committee stands adjourned. ben cohen, co-founder of ben & jerry's ice cream is helping to raise $1.8 million for the occupy wall street movement, and he takes your phone calls on tomorrow's "washington journal." we'll also talk with republican congressman doug lamborn of california about the proposed keystone xl oil pipeline and rising gas prices. "washington journal" live on c-span with the day's headlines and viewer phone calls, every day at 7:00 a.m. eastern. and with a firm confidence

in justice, freedom, and peace on earth that will raise the hearts and the hopes of mankind that distant day when no one drags a chain. >> as candidates campaign for president this year, we look back at 14 men who ran for the office and lost. go to our website c-span.org/thecontenders to see video of the contenders who had a lasting effect on politics. >> it is further the cause of republicanism to restore clear understanding of the tyranny of man over man in the world at large. it is our cause to dispel the foggy thinking which avoids hard decisions in the delusion that a world of conflict will somehow mysteriously resolve itself into a world of harmony. >> c-span.org/thecontenders. up next on c-span3, news of

events from around the capital from "washington today." then ken salazar talks about his budget request. then later a haring to u.s. security. we'll hear from james clapper. i hope that they are considered and wisely chosen. but it's also important that we keep in mind the long-term necessity of making fiscal policies sustainable. so you need to think about those two things together, i think. >> before the house financial services committee hearing earlier today, ben bernanke, the chair of the federal reserve testifying on capitol hill talking about the job market and economy. stocks closing in the red today as bernanke dashing hopes. ben bernanke did say the job

market is still far from normal. this part of his semi-annual report. more in a moment. in an apparent breakthrough in stalled negotiations, north korea today has agreed to suspend his uranium enrichment and nuclear testing. the announcement coming today here in washington by the obama administration. the simultaneous announcements in pyongyang and washington pointing towards an easing of nuclear tensions under kim jong-un. it also could clear the way for multinational disarmament aid for food assistance to north korea. the court also opens the way for nngss after a year when north korea's program goes unmonitored. and this reaction from secretary of state hillary clinton who called it a modest first step. here in washington on capitol hill, john boehner making a rare appearance on the floor today urging passage of a bill aimed

at reestablishing water access for krlz residents and farmers that had been blocked by the mrgs. the president sitting down with the house speaker and republican leader mitch mcconnell as well as democratic leaders with a bipartisan group of lawmakers. congressional leadership in washington. tonight at the white house, a formal dinner for a few to commemorate and pay tribute to the few. thanking those who fought the battles by inviting a small group of iraq war veterans to pay tribute to the million plus who served in iraq over the last nine years. and some weather news today that will likely have the federal agency involved in cleanup operations. entire blocks of homes in illinois and kansas flattened after a storm system brought tornadoes to the heartland this morning. six people were killed in southern illinois. another three in missouri.

this after a series of tornadoes moving through the regions with speeds up to 130 miles an hour. well, let's begin with our lead story and the announcement from ben bernanke on the state of the u.s. economy. what it means for the job market and growth on wall street and growth over the next six to nine months. we're going to begin with some of the questioning before the committee. congressman william lacey clay has questions to the fed chairman. >> unemployment is declining and is now at 8.3%, the lowest in three years. and we can get pretty technical in these hearings. but my constituents in st. louis would like to know what we in congress and you at the federal reserve can do to put americans back to work in ways that perhaps we can all understand. what do you suggest?

from the federal reserve's point of view, we have been keeping interest rates low and trying to create financial conditions that will foster investment in entrepreneurship and demand on the part of consumers. that should help bring the economy back towards a normal level of functioning. as i said earlier, the fed cannot affect the long run health prosperity and productivity of the economy. that's up to congress. and there's a whole range of policies there starting with fiscal, i would say. having a fiscal program that on the one hand achieves fiscal sustainability on the long run. and on the other hand is protective of the recovery which is still not complete. we need to talk about skills. we need to talk about the tax code. infrastructure that allows our economy to function at a level.

there's a lot to be done. i guess i would put the fiscal thing first from the fed's point of view. we're going to pursue our dual mandate. >> speaking of interest rates, it has been suggest ed by the house budget chair that if interest rates remain low until 2014, this will hurt the dollar. do you think that's accurate? and would it risk fuelling asset bubbles? >> i'd like to make a distinction. when people say hurt the dollar, there's two definitions of the dollar. one is the buying power, that's the inflation rate inside the united states. does a dollar buy more today than it did yesterday? the other definition is the dollar versus other currencies. those are two separate concepts. okay? now, in fact our policies have been accommodative since 2008.

i think we're doing okay. inflation over my tenure as chairman has been about 2%. which is lower than whooefs chairman. in the last three years in the foreign exchange sense has been up and down but is roughly where it was three years ago. i don't think that's really a big problem. although i think b it's important to distinguish those two components. you asked about interest rates on the second part of your question. >> fuelling asset bubbles. >> obviously that's something we have to pay close attention to. we have greatly expanded our ability in the fed to monitor the financial system broadly to take a so-called macro-credential approach. right now we don't see any obvious bubbles in the economy. that's something you need to look at and continue to monitor. >> thank you for your response. mr. chairman, many citizens in the nation are concerned about

the rise in gasoline prices at the pump. especially the working class. what measures can the federal reserve take to stabilize the recent rise in gas prices? >> we're concerned on it as well. it is also bad for growth. it's really a question of this particular project and as i mentioned earlier the reason for it is the higher price in crude which relates to a number of factors. among them is uncertainty about supply in iran and in the strait of hormuz. and in africa. i don't think the fed can do too much about the price of gas.

i think it more important to establish security of supply and take measures to reduce demand. i think it's important to note that the united states has been reducing its dependence because we are producing more energy and importing less. >> if asked, would you suggest tapping into the reserves? >> that's really for the administration to decide. reserves are typically used when there's a breakdown in supply chains such as katrina for example. less assistance during a situation where there's a long-term supply demand problem. but again, that's an administration decision. >> thank you. my time's expired. >> the testimony on capitol hill before the house financial services committee. william lacy clay. the head at the new york times is ben bernanke seeing modest growth for the economy.